Strand-manipulating device



Nov. 22, 1927. y 1,650,287

sMAGNANo STRAND MANIPULATING DEVICE original Filed Jamil, 1921 5 sheets-smet 1 '$6505 a'ano /Zayna/n 0 y Nov. 22, 19427.

Original Filed Jan. ll. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 M r u i NNXMN m n my h. a r EN www m pt Qa 11d .QN Q M @NN/@H Ew WW @NN 6 3 5 N a@ www www www Smm l uw as NWN Nw Nov. 22, 1927.

1,650,287 s. MAGNANO ,STRAND MAN-I PULTING DEVICE original Filed Janfll, 1921 5 sheets-sheet s Nov. 22, 1927.

1,650,287 s. MAGNANo l ai? labo l E 44 f e4- v L@ Q17 .jwe7i/Z07:

,aszafeo Milazzo,

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

narran STeTP-.ZS

YPima-:rrr OFFICE...

CORPORATION, SETTS.

STRAND-MANIPULATING DEVICE.

Original application iiled January 11, 1921. Serial No. 436,442. liviledA and this application led .Tun 23,k

This invention relates to strand separating mechanism and more particularly to means for successively picking-od and separating the endmost strand ot a sheet of strands, such, for example, as the yarns of a weaving warp to facilitate the application of detached loom elements. including metallic drop wires. individual heddles, etc., thereto, the present application being a division of my copending application, Serial No. 1.136.442, filed January ll, i921..

lVhen mechanisms of the character described are employed 'for placing detached elements in position for engagement with sill; wai-ps. diiiiculty has been experienced due to breaking of the warps. by the abrasive action of the separator means commonly employed tor parting the last warp -ot the series tor the placing of a warp engaging element relatively thereto. Suchy separator Yhas commonly been of flexible but relatively hard material such as spring steel, and as it frequently engages several warps before sepa 'ating the last warp from the series it in consequence may slip over the saine warp more than once7 thus weakening the Warp sutiiciently to cause it to break under'subsequently applied strains. One object oit the present invention is to improve such separating means whereby vto avoid such undesirable abrasive eiiect on'the warp threads. Gne mode .of attaining this object is to employ a relatively sott vand resilient material as the engaging element of the separator device. the preferred arrangement comprising a brush providing a. resilient warp contacting surface` such as a'tuvft ot bristles su'fiif ciently flexible to avoid undue strain npon the warp threads while at the saine time serving to separate the last warp from the series.

ln order to permit the readysepa-ration of the last warp thread by theseparator device 1 it has been proposed to employ lease rods for dividing the warps into upper and lower sheets` the warps ot one sheet being transferred in crossing relation to the warps of the other sheet at point between4 the lease rods. vWith this arrangement it is desirable to maintain the upper and lower sheets of warp a sulicient distance apart to prevent Serial No. 647254.

any contact tlierel'oetween, but this requires the employment of lease rods of substantial diameter at a pointv closely adjacent to the location vot the picking' device. A further object et the present invention is to-provide means whereby the crossing of the warps may be accurately determined, such crossing always occurring in the vertiealfplane'fOt movement of the separator device, While at v(il) the Sametime providing for holding back Y,

the warps'ot the two series by the engagement therewith of the holdbacl devices at points laterally removed from the pointof separation. To this end lease rods of relatively small Ydiameter maybe employed ,ad-`

jacent to the picking mechanism and other rods ot larger diameter maybe inserted between the warp sheetsat points laterally removed from the first lease rods. A preferred arrangement for carrying the above objects into eifect'is disclosed `in the accompanying drawings7 in whi:ch,-A

F l is a right side elevation of a machine einbodying the present invention arranged in position for use, certain parts being broken away to show interior const-ruetions;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevati-0n of the left si-de of the machine; y

Fig. 3 is a front elevation oi the machine; Fig. t is a fragmentary plan view'i. and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section illustrating the arrangement of the lease rod-s andthe warps passing thereover;

Figs. (i, 7, 8, and.l .fl-are views to enlargedv` scale illustrating` the operation of the thread separating and positioning elements in vari# ous Vpositions ot the cycle of movements thereof;

Fig. l0 is a diagrammatic perspective View Main frame.

1, 2 are rail members which may be considered as constituting portions of the machine, such rail members being adapted temporarily to be supported upon a loom frame transversely of the warp threads stretched therein and serving to support the operative portions of the machine as the latter is moved from one side of the loom frame to the other. The frame of the machine proper comprises a pair of spaced side plates 3, 4. At the lower forward corners of the plates Y 3 and 4 are provided bosses 5, 6 in which are fixed stub shafts having mounted thereupon flanged truck wheels 7, 8 respectively, such wheels being adapted to be supported upon the upper edges of the rails 1, 2. Passing through suitable openings in the rear lower corners of the members 3, 4 is a shaft 9, carrying a pair' of flanged truck wheels which also rest upon the rails 1, 2. The shaft 9 may if desired be extended to the right and have secured thereto a hand wheel 14 by the rotation of which the shaft, together with its wheels may be turned, thus providing for the manual traverse of the frame, with the mechanism supported thereon, along the tracks. The right-hand frame member 4 is preferably provided with a rearwardly extending member 15 (Fig. 1) which may be integral with the member 4 or fixed thereto in any desired manner. rlhe member 15 extends downwardly as at 16 and forwardly as at 17, being connected at its forward extremity to the lower portion of the frame member 4. For convenience of construction, the member 17 may, if desired, be made as an independent member secured at its ends to the member 4 and the member 16 respectively, the exact arrangement of such parts however being unessential.

Adjacent the rear extremity of the meniber 17 is provided a stub shaft 18 carrying a flanged truck wheel 19 engageable with the rail 2 and serving to support the members 15, 16, 17 with their associated parts.

Near their upper extremities. the plates 3 Vand 4 may be provided with bosses 20, 21 (Fig. 3) having aligned openings therethrough for the reception of a main driving shaft 22, such shaft having collars 23, 24

mounted upon a shaft 27 which is preferably driven directly by an electric motor (not shown) suitably supported upon the frame or parts carried thereby. To the left of the frame member 3, as indicated in Fig.

3, is arranged a sleeve 28 fixed upon the shaft 22 and to the right of the frame member 4 a similar sleeve 29 is secured to the shaft 22. Integrally or otherwise secured to the sleeve 28 is a three-part crank and to the extremity of the sleeve 29a is secured a similar three-part crank, the respective cranks serving to drive mechanism to be hereinafter described. Fixed upon the shaft 22 or integral therewith at a point intermediate the sleeve 29 and frame 4 is a gear wheel 35 such gear wheel serving to actuate certain mechanism hereinafter referred to. The frame members 3, 4 are provided with vertical aligned slots respectively with which are adjustably engaged the lateral edges of a vertically slidable head or carrying plate 39, this plate serving as a support for the picker mechanism.

lhagazne.

The magazine employed in connection with this machine is of quadruplex type, permitting the successive discharge of drop wires or similar elements from'four independent series. For holding the drop wires in such independent series, the magazine comprises four substantially parallel bars supported at. their rear ends and free at their forward ends where they terminate behind plate 39 at a distance from its rear surface substantially equal to the thickness of a drop wire. The bars are of a thickness such as to permitthe suspension thereon of drop wires of the hair-pin type, the legs of such drop wires straddling over the bars.

In Fig. 1, 54 indicates a series of drop wires supported upon the magazine bar and for compacting and feeding forward the drop wires toward the forward extremities of the bars, each bar may be provided with a spring-pressed follower plate 55 arranged to engage the rearmost drop wire of the series carried by such bar. The member 16 has connected thereto or integral therewith an upwardly extending member having bearings therein for the rear ends of a pair of screw-threaded shafts 57, 58, the forward extremities of which are suitably supported in any suitable manner adjacentto the head 39. Such shafts have threaded engagement with screw-threaded openings in the upper and lower portions respectively of a slidable plate 59 arranged above the upper edges of the magazine bars. Passing freely through pairs of vertically spaced openings in the eral plates 55, the latter thus being resili` ently urged away from plate 59. TheY rear ends of the shafts 57, 58 where they extend through the frame member 56 are connected by a suitable gear train to a transverse shaft 7 0 having bearings. in the frame, said shaft extending to the right of the frame and having secured thereto a ratchet wheel 72.

The shaft iscontinued to the right of the ratchet wheel 72 (Fig. 1) and has pivotally supported thereon a pawl actuating' lever 73. The shaft 70 also has Secured to its outer extremity, to the right of the lever 73, a pinion 74 meshing with a lgear rwheel 75 journaled at 76 upon the frame member 16, said gear wheel 7 5 having a manually operable crank handle 78 by means of which it may be turned. 79 is a weighted pawl pivota'lly secured at 80 to the upper end of the lever 73 and having` a tooth 81 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 72. The lever 78 has a forwardly extending arm 8.. to which is pivot-ally connected the i'ear extremity of a bar 88 extending toward the forward end of the machine where it is connected to a crank pin 841 carried by a crank fast to a gear wheel 86. By the arrangement of parts thus described it will be evident that upon rotation of the wheel 86, the lever 73 will be oscillated, thereby causing the -pawl 79 to turn theshaft 70 iu-k terinittently. The rotation of the shaft 70 througl'i the gears above described, serves to rotate the screw shafts 57, 58, `and thereby to feed the plate 59 slowly toward the forward end of the magazines. The plates`55, bearing against the rearmost drop wires of the respective series are thus forced for-v wardly. moving the wires 54 composing such seiies-slo\vly towards the discharge ends of the several magazine bars. rlhe springs 62 serve to compensate for any s'light variations between the rate of forward feed and the rate of discharge, it being understood that the pitch of the screw threads 57 is calculated in accordance with the 'thickness of the drop wires for which the magazine is designed.

'Pieke/fs.

Cooperating with each of the magazines is a picker device for movingthe foremost drop wire of the series in a direction sub-V the thickness of a dropwire, and as the bars arc vertically reciprocated kin the slots they engage the upper ends of the foremost drop wires in the respective magazines and lpush such endiiiost wires downwardly.

il crank shaft 10Q extends transversely liecrank shaftr being held in proper operative position by means of fixed collars thereon.

The crank shaft 102 is provided with four crank arms having crank pins arranged substantially O apart, and upon each of Ysaid crank pins is journaled the lower extremity of a connecting rod by means of which the respective picker bars or pins are reciprof cated. rlhe right-hand extremity of the shaft 102 extends to the right of the member el and has tixedly secured thereon the gear wheel 103, such gear 'wheel meshing with a gear wheel 104 fast upon a shaft 105 extending transversely through theV frame members 8, 4L such shaft also havingy fixed thereon thc r wheel 86 hereinbefore referred to.

Secured in the frame member 4 are a pairr of stub shafts 105, 106 having mounted to.

`tween the frame members 3, Llbeing joui naled in suitable openings therein, such turn thereon a pair of meshing gear wheels l 107` 108 respectively, the wheel 107 meshing -with the wheel 86 and the wheel 108 meshing with the wheel 35 upon the shaft 22. rBy the arrangementof parts above described, upon rotation of the shaft Q2, the crank shaft 1.02 will be turned and thereby the several picker vbars or pins will be causedv toreciprocate in their' respective guide slots. The several gears of the gear train including the gears 25 and 103 are of such relative diameters that the velocity ratioof the shafts 22 and 102 is as four to one. Thus upon each rotation of the shaft 22one of the picker bars will be caused to complete a ful'l downward and upward movement, the relative arrangement of the crank pins upon the shaft being such as to cause the several pickers to move downwardly in succession.,l

he stroke of the pickers may be of sufficient length fully to discharge the drop wires from the magazine, or may be merely suiiicient to cause the drop wires to be proiected to a predetermined distance below the lower edge of the plate 89, whereupon the further movement of the drop wire element may be continued by secondary means.

y Such secondary means may comprise zr shaft 111 extending transversely between the' framenieinbers 8 and 4f and journa'led therein, such shaft having' fixed thereon, at poi-nts corresponding to the several pickers, a series of feed rolls 112. The shaft 111 is extended to the right of the frame member ty and has fixed there-on, a pinion 114. This pinion meshes with the gear wheel 103 whereby the shaft 111 is driven. A second shaft is arranged parallel to` shaft 111 carries feed rolls which cooperate with the rolls 112.

The feed rolls as thus arranged constitute means for feeding onward the drop wires as they are pushed downwardly from the magazine by the reciprocating pickers.

124 and 125 are a pair of downwardly extended brackets fixedly supported at their upper ends on the shaft 44. 126 is a transversely extended bar having rearwardly extended ears whereby it may be attached to the lower ends of the respective brackets 124 and 125. The lower part of the forward face of the bar 126 is provided with projecting lugs defining spaced channels 137 for the descending drop wires, the inner faces of said channels having wedge elements engageable with one leg of a descending drop wire to force it forwardly out of its normal plane.

Secured to the lower portion of the bar 126 are a series of downwardly directed brackets having secured thereto forwardly extended supporting bars 147. rlhe bars 147 may, if desired, be of circular cross section, although preferably they are flattened laterally and of rectangular cross section, the lateral dimensions thereof, in any case being such as to permit them readily to pass between the legs of a drop wire which may be supported thereon. The several bars 147 are so arranged and spaced relatively one to the other as to occupy positions directly below the slots in the drop wires as they are fed downwardly from the respective series in the magazine, the bars 147 for this purpose being located substantially mid-way between adjacent lugs of the bar 126.

As the drop wires are discharged from the magazine and fed downwardly they are caused to straddle over the corresponding bars 147 and come to rest with the central webs 148 of th-e drop wires in contact with the upper surface of said bar. The drop wires as they are discharged from the magazine and placed over the warp threads are not hung directly upon the latter but upon the bars 147 which thus receive the thrust of the drop wires imparted by the feed rolls and insure the warp threads against being subjected to a breaking strain. One or more of the bars 147 may, if desired, be provided with rearwardly extended. curved horns 149, said horns riding over the warp threads supported in the loom frame so that all of the threads of the warp sheet are caused to pass downwardly below the bars 147 into a single plane. l/Vhen in this position the placing of the drop wires upon the warp threads is much facilitated.

When the bars 147 are provided with lia-t lateral faces, said faces serve, in cooperation with the warp threads. to oppose any lateral tipping of the drop wires as they are deposited upon the threads, and thus any intermingling of the drop wires of the several parallel banks or series is avoided. By the time the drop wires reach the forward ends of the bars 147, a sufficient number of the same have been placed in contact to provide the necessary friction to avoid tipping while the gradual movement of a drop wire down the inclined front end of the bar prevents any severe shock to the warp when the weight of the wire is finally imposed thereon.

Lease rods.

150 is a bracket which may be supported upon the raily 1, or upon the loom frame, this bracket extending to the left of the rail as viewed in Fig. 3. Additional brackets similar to bracket 150 but not shown herein, will be provided at suitable points in the lengtlr of the rail 1 or loom frame, such brackets serving to support the large lease rods 151 and 152 and also the small lease rods 153 and 154. The lease rods 151 and 152 are of proper diameter to maintain the planes of the upper and lower series of warps at a suflieient distance apart to permit operation of the hold-backs hereinafter to be described. The small lease rods 153 and 154 are of the diameter which permits them to be placed closely together without subjecting the warps to undue strain. The 'crossing of the warps of the two series takes place between such small lease rods.

Warp separating.

On 'the shaft 111 is fixed a gear 155, (Fig.

1), said gear meshing withan idler gear 156 carried upon a stub shaft secured to the frame member 4. Engagingwith the idler gear 156 is the gear 157 mounted upon the right hand end of a shaft 158 which extends transversely across the frame, and to the left of the frame member 3, as indicated in Fig. 3. Fixed to the left hand extremity of shaft 158 is a bracket 159 (Fig. 12) carrying a substantially flat plate 160. Cooperating with plate 160 is a second plate 161 which may be adjustably secured to the plate 160 by means of screws 162 or in any suitable and desirable manner. Between members 160 and 161, which,together with screws 162 constitute a clamp, may be secured a member 163 of steel to other suitable mateiial having its lower end formed as a thin flexible selector blade 164 arranged to engage warp threads adjacent to the crossing point of the leased warps, whereby to separate said warps one byV one. r1`he parts are so arranged that shaft 158 rotates, blade 164 will be caused to rotate in the plane of the crossing of the leased warps and in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.

The shaft 105, upon which gear 86 is mounted. extends transversely across the frame, and at the left of frame member 3 has xed upon apair of cams 165, 166. These cams are of complemental form hav-I ing active faces 167 and interposed dwells. A stub shaft 169 extends to the left from frame member 3 and has mounted thereon a pair oi rock arms 170. 171 respectively, said arms being provided at points intermediate ofy their lengths with rolls arranged to engage the surfaces ot the cams 165 and 166 respectively.

A fixed shaft 174 extends to the left from the trame member and monnted to rock on shaft 174 are a pair ot brackets 17 5, and 17 6 (Figi. 2). The brackets 175 and 176 are extended above shaft 174 upon which they are pivoted, and secured to the bracket 175 is a rod 177 extending to the right toward trame member 3. At its right hand' extremity rod 177 has fixedV thereto a crank arm 178 to the lower end ot which is connected the rear end of a connecting rod 179 whose forward end is pivoted to the lower end of the arm 171. The bracket 176 is likewise provided with a rod 180 extending to the right, and to which is secured the upper end ot' a crank arm 181 connected by means ot aconnecting rod 182 with the lower end off tl e rocker 31111 170. Y

Fixed upon the shaft 174 are collars such as 183, having ears 184 to which are connected the lower ends of springs 185 and 186,l said springs being connected respectively at tli'eir'upper extremities to ears 187 and 188 extending from collars carried upon the bars 177 and 180. By the arrangement herein described, upon rotation ot shaft 105, movement of oscillation will be imparted to the bracket 175 and 176 and associated parts, such movements takingvplace in alternation and the parts being so relatively arranged that the long circular dwell ot one cam acts toV hold one oit said brackets stationary during substantially the tull mov-ement of the other bracket in swinging toward 4or from suchposition, and vice versa. 185 and 1.86 serve at all times to keep rolls 172 and 173 in engagement with their respective cams.

Secured in the lower ends oll the respective brackets 175 and 176 are hold-back barsv on arms 191 and 192. The arm 191 is sub stantially straight from its end to its bracket, while arm 192 is ot irregular torni as shown in Fig. 2 to prevent interference with the shaft 158. The lower portions oit the hold-back arms are substantially straight and are provided with warp engaging recesses 193 and 194, such recesses being ot vertically elongated Jform. thus serving to provide against escape of the warp threads below theV ends ot thearms. The hold-back arms or bars as described are so located relatively tothe crossing point of' the leased warps that the bar191 is to the left of .the lease crossing (see Figs. 4. and 5) while bar 192 lies to the right of the lease crossing.; Thess i f furthermore are et such a length The springs as to permit them to Contact only with those threads et the warp lying in the upper plane, the position of the lower end of vbar 191 being shown in Fig. 5.

As heretotore described, shai't 22 carries at its opposite ends triple cranks 30 and 31 respectively. To the crank pins-upon opposite sides of the machine are pivotally secured connecting rods 195, 196, 197; 198, 199, 200. A bracket 201 extends to the left ot frame member 3V and is secured thereto, and 202 is a'braeket ext-ending to the right of frame member 4. The brackets v201 and 202 serve to support series of vertically extending sleeves wherein are arranged fory vertical movement a series of rods 209, 210, 211; 212, 213, 214, which are pivotally secured to theY lower ends of the respective connecting rods just described;

To the lower portions of thevrods` 209, 214, (Figs. 1 and 6) are connected brackets 215, 216, respectively, serving to support downwardly directed bars 217, 218y said bars bering beveled at their lower ends to form downwardly directed chisel edges. These brackets with their downwardly extending bars are herein designated as warp retainer members.v p

To the lower ends of rods 210, 213. are connected brackets`219, 220 respectively. VEX- tending downwardly from said ,brackets (Figs. 1 and 6) are spaced members 221, 222; 223, 224, respectively. Members 221 and'223 are Vprovided with rearwardly and downwardly curved faces such members converging toward and uniting with the members 222 and 224 respectively, at edges 225 and 226, lfrom which edges the cam surfaces of members 222 and 224 curve upward and forwardly.

To the lowerportions ot the rods 211,-212 are connected brackets 227 and 228. These brackets support pairs of downwardly directed rodfi229, 230, 231, 232, respectively, said rods being spaced apart throughout their upper portions a distance approximate-r ly equal to the diameter of the warp threads. At their lower portions the pairs ot ,members 229, 230; 231, 232 diverge to torm V` shaped guiding openings to receive and direct the warp threads into the space. between said members 229, 230; 231, 232, regrpectively. u Downwardly directed bars 235 afnd236 are also carried by the brackets 227-and lijf) 228, such .bars yat their lower ends curving'.

downwardly and to the rear and uniting with the lower portions 01;' bars 230' and 2,32 to form sharp edges 237` and 238. The bracket members 219 and 220 with the parts supported thereby are hereinafter referred toas warp pusher members, while brackets 227 and 2 28 with their associated parte' may bedtermed warpVv positioner meinb The operation of the parte' described will be clear by reference to Figs. 6 and 9 inclusive, it being noted that the arrange- VA-group being indicated as lying between members 229 and 230 of the warp positiener.

The operation of the warp separating mechanism may be understood from inspection of Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. In Fig. 6 the hold-back finger 191 is shown in position to prevent escape of the forward warp A of the warps forming the upper series at the left of the crossing point. The positioner C is shown as holding a warp A which has been separated from the upper series of warps at the left of the crossing point, such warp being held thereby in proper relation to the descending drop wire to permit the placing of the latter thereover. rIhe warp hold-back finger 192 is shown in forward, inoperative, position; the warp pusher comprising members 221, 222 is in uppermostV position, and the warp retainer comprising the element 217 is moving upwardly and is near the upper end of its stroke. As seen in this figure the separator blade 164 is moving downwardly in the direction of the arrow.

In Fig. 7 the separator blade 164 has moved downwardly into position to sweep over the series of warps immediately to the rear of the hold back linger 191, it being remembered that such separator blade contacts with the warps substantially in the vertical plane of the crossing of the leasedwarps and may thus wipe olf the end warp thread B of the series lying in the upper plane Vto the right of the crossing point and which is not restrained by the hold-back finger 191 or by any other thread of the series. The retainer has risen to its uppermost point, the positioner is rising and is nearing the upper end of its stroke, and the pusher member'is moving downwardly and has engaged the thread r A over which the drop wire has been hung,

by means of its curved cam surface 222, and is about to push said thread laterally and to the right as seen in Fig. 7

Between the position of Figs. 8 and 9 it i s assumed that the separator finger has made one and a quarter turns, the operation having proceeded to a point where threads A and B with their suspended drop wires have been moved forwardly and are restrained against back ward movement by the retainer 217. In Fig. 8 the hold-back finger 191 has swung into operative position, the hold-back finger 192 has swung into operative position for restraining the leading warp B of the series of warps in the upper plane at the right of the crossing point and the warp thread A has been left by the separator blade where it may be engaged by the positioner upon the next descent of the latter. rlhe pusher has descended to its lowest point carrying the threads A and B into the loaded series and the retainer has moved downwardly into position to retain said threads A and B against rearward movement upon the recession of the pusher member. having passed out of engagement with the warp threads and is moving upwardly to complete its revolution.

In Fig. 9 the retainer member has moved to its lowermost position. The hold-back finger 191 has started to release the foremost warp B1 of the upper series to the right of the crossing point, so thatV such warp may be picked olf by the separator member when the latter reaches the plane of the warps, while the hold-back finger 192 is just assuming its position ready to hold back the foremost warp A2 of the upper series to the left of the crossing point. The thread A is positively held against lateral movement by engagement in the slot between members 229, 230 and is ready for the discharge of a drop wire thereon. These operations are repeated successively, whereby warps are picked off alternately from the upper and lower planes of the leased warps, held by the positioner while a drop wire is placed thereon, pushed over into the loaded series by the pusher element and-retained against rearward movement by the retainer member. rIhe general arrangement of the several parts is shown in plan in Fig. 11.

Stop mechanism.

For stopping the machine automatically upon the breakage or absence of a warp thread, a stop mechanism such as hereinafter described may be employed. As above noted the machine is preferably driven by an electric motor mounted directly upon the machine frame or upon a part carried thereby. An insulating plate 240 is secured upon the bars 15, 17 of the machine frame in any desired manner, such plate having mounted thereon a magnetic circuit breaker of any desired form. This circuit breaker is herein shown diagrammatically (Fig. 19) as comprising electromagnets 241, 242 having wires 243, 244 leading therefrom. 245 is an armature lever carrying an armature operable by the magnets241, 242, such lever serving to make and break a circuit comprising The separator blade is shown as Y Manresa by an insulating b1aclet251 secu-red to 1the machine framey in any suitable manner. The ,plate is provided with a lower memy ber 252 extending at right angles tothe main 4portion thereof. a-nd in, a substantially .hertl vzcmtal plane. This portion of the-plate may Yif desired be somewhat concave on itsnpper surface, this, however, not being essential. .i The. warp retainer heretoiioie described, .comprising 'the bracllet'215 andthe rod 217, which :is located .at that side of the machine tupon which the .bracket y251 is mounted, has lixed thereon .a pair-of downwardly extending. guide rods 253, 254- (see Fips. 16 and 17,), said rods being substantially parallel ,and serving .to guide a eeler plate 255 which is vertically slidable thereon. Connected to the central portion of .the feeler plate 255 is a rod l256 of small .diameter 'which extends.

upwardly through' a suitable guide opening A in the bracket21f5 and at a point 257" is ben-t atsubstantially right angles to lie in ahori4 Ar/,ontal :pl-ane, the outer end ofthe horizontal extending Ypor-tion V,258 overlying ythe Ahorizontal element 2520i thecontact lplate 250. Referring tto ,lf-ig. 17 it, will .be seen that the bracket 215, as the retainer member is lifted, lilits and supports the feeler member by engagement with Athe member 258..

YIn Figf1f'. lVindicates the position of a warp thread arranged to receive a drop wire thereon, this beingrthe `position in which the `thread is held by the slot in the lpositioncr. Downward -n'iovement of the retainer per- /Inits the teeler bar- 255 to rest upon thewarp Still if the latter is properly positioned, and

fit)

(ill

Vthus as the Aretair'ier continues yto `descend .the

1part 258 is supported above the upper f sur- `face et the contact member 252, thereby Yavoiding'contact between the latter two bringing the machine to rest.

Vplane intersecting` the strands.'

,sirable to provide the retainer bracket 215 with second -dewnwardly extending .rod

259`ihaving the lguide rods 253, 254 disposed between said latter rod and the-.rod 217'..

'lll-ie. rod259 .serves'panticularly .in abrupt stopping of tl-ie machine, to .prevent im- ,proper displacement of the ynfarps oit the leasedser-ies and `to assist the.hold-backsinY retaining' such warpsa-nd preventing tanvglin-gofthe same. N n l Vhile the resilientmetallic plate 164 is an i rmost 'instances desirable as a means'tor sepaf vratin g the warps, it vis found :under Tsome .cir- .cumstances, particularly with very delicate silk -warp=, that' such ay metallic separator -p'late ytends to abraid' the warps in` bei ng dragged over the same. As an` alternative .and preferred term ot a. separator device,

that .shown in Figs.v 14 Land 15 may be employed. In such figures, a vholder 260 may be clamped between the plates 161 andv .160, said holder being twisted as indicated at 2261 whereby its lowerend .liesfin a plane substantially perpendicularto theqplates 161 end 160. Secured inthe lower end of holder are a series otbrush tufts or bristles 262. Suc-'h bristlesfmav be of hair, fiber, 101' yotline .wire as desired and are preferably beveled oil .as indicated at' 1263.4 'As the member 159sweeps around in the direction of the arrow,see Figltthe Lbrushf'bristles are caused Contact with the warps-and 5to sepa-rate the last warp of theseries by avery delicate Contact :therewitln'ythe beveled edge of thefbrush providing against unnecessary contacto't' the bristles with the warps which hold-back device. f Y I While thel arrangcnient shown. in the vare restrained against movement i by the draw-ingsis a preferred iorinfot` the finveny ien vit is to be understood that .various tion. l ylf claim 1. In a device'ot the class described. means rotating brush for successively picking vott' Vstrands .from the edge oi the sheet. :said

brush com .'rising'bristles which :move in a r2. In :i machiney ot vtheclass described, .means-for supporting a sheet fot strands. a rotary shaftsubstantially7 parallel tothe individual strands of the sheet, anarm secured to theshaft. a bristle brush secured to the arm,v and means for rotating the shaft continuously in. the same direction whereby periodically to wipe' the brush 'acrossr strands Y of the sheet.

3. In a machine of the class described,va

rotatingV strand separator device p comprising a holder havingga series of brush bristles Under some circumstances it is found de-projecting from its extremity, certain of lsaid bristles being substantially longer than the others,`the bristles rotating in a. plane sub-- Vvhaving Va fiattened extremity and a series of bristles'secured in said extremity and projecting therefrom, the bristles at one end ot said series being longer than those ofthe other. l

' `5. In a machine oit the class described, a separator device comprising a rotatable support, clamping means carried by said support, and a flexible thread engaging element secured in said clamping means.

6. In a machine ot the class described, a rotatable support, clamping means carried by `the support, a holder secured in the Aclampingmeans, and a 1esiliently flexible strand separating element carried by the holder.

7. In a machine ot the class described, a rotatable support provided with clamping plate, a second clamping` plate cooperable with the iirst plate, and va holder clamped between said plates, said holder being provided with a. plurality o1 flexible strand separating elements.

8. In combination with a movable strand separating device, leasing means disposed closely adjacent to and upon opposite sides of the plane oit' movement ot the separating device for dividing strands to be separated into two series crossing substantially in the plane of movement of the separating device, and means for causing said series to diverge from eachother upon remote sides of the leasing means.

9.' In combination with 'a movable strand separating device and strand retaining elements, leasing means disposed closely adjacent to and upon opposite sides of the plane of movement of the separating device, said leasing means dividing strands to be separated into two crossing series, and means for holding said series in widely separated planes in the vicinity of the retaining elements.

l0. In combination in an apparatus of the class described, warp separating means, and means tor supporting a series ot warps in position tor separation, said last means comprising a pair ot lease rods of relatively Lesage? lease rods for holding the warps in spaced intercrossing series, the separatingV means moving in a plane substantially midway between said rods, a rod of a diameter relatively larger than said lease rods and substantially parallel thereto, said lrod being positioned between said series of warps, and warp engaging means disposed between said larger rod and the adjacent 'small rod and engageable with the warps ot one seriesonly.

12. In combination, in an apparatus of the class described and a hold-back device, a

strand separating device, and means'for sup- Y porting a series of strands in position Vfor separation, said means comprising a pair of lease rods of relatively small diameter disposed adjacent to and upon opposite sides Vot' the separating device, and a pair of lease rods ot larger diameter spaced outwardly trom the respective rods of small diameter, the hold-back device being between one of the small lease rods and the adjacent large lease rod. 1 Y s 13. In combination with a strand separating device andV strand retaining elements movable inV substantially 'parallel planes, a pair ot lease rods of relatively small diameter disposed closely adjacent to and upon either side respectively of the plane of movement oii the separating element whereby to divide strands to be 'separated into two series crossing` substantially in theplane ot movement ot'the separator device, and a pair of lease rodsl of larger diameter for widely separatingthe two series ot strands atthe planes ot movement of the respective retaining elements. v

Signed by me atLawrence, Massachusetts,

Vthis fifteenth day of June, 1923. l

snsiisrmno MAGNANO. l

CERTIFICATE OF QRRECTIGN.

Patent N0. 1,650, 287. Granted November 22, 1927, to

SEBASTlAN@ MAGN ANG,

It ishereby certified that errer appears in the printed specification 0f the above numbered patent requiring eerreetien as fellows: Page 8, line 80, claim 12, after the word "described" insert the comma and words a strand separating device", and lines 80 and 81, strike out the words and comma "a strand separating deviee,"; and that the seid Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record oi the case in the Patent Gffice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day @i enenber, A. D. 1927 M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting vCommissioner of Patents. 

